Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 40: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 deer hunt codes in Unit 40, 5 of them drawn with 165 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 64). In the 2026 draw, 125 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 165 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 385 licenses sold, 293 hunters reporting, a 45% success rate, 146 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 40 hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunts: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 drawing report. Harvest: NMDGF reports to 2025-26.
BLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationMilitary landUnit 40Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 40 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 5 (5 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 165 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 125 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 146 (146 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 45% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 10.4% (251,131 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 40 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 40, with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-350 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-352 | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 30 | Any applicant | 29 sold, 38% success, 7 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-348 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 45% success, 17 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-349 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-25 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 28% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-351 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 17% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 40 deer in 2026?
125 applicants put one of these 5 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 165 licenses; 68 of them drew on that first choice. The share is NMDOW's 2026 result, not a forecast for another year.
| Hunt code | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn on first choice | Share of first-choice applicants who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-350 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| DER-3-352 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| DER-1-348 | 50 | 69 | 32 | 46.4% |
| DER-1-349 | 50 | 30 | 16 | 53.3% |
| DER-2-351 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 57.1% |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report. Applicants and licenses drawn on second and third choices are on each hunt code's page.
How many deer are taken in Unit 40?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 40 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 385 licenses sold, 293 hunters reporting, a 45% success rate, 146 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 385 | 293 | 45% | 146 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 390 | 307 | 38% | 134 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 394 | 295 | 41% | 136 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 406 | 306 | 38% | 139 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 403 | 300 | 46% | 167 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 463 | 355 | 51% | 201 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 404 | 312 | 54% | 192 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 368 | 282 | 58% | 177 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 379 | 281 | 46% | 144 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 361 | 265 | 50% | 157 | 0 |
Source: NMDOW deer harvest reports, the printed area totals (public-land hunt codes and, where NMDGF counts them in the total, private-land licenses).
How much public land is in Unit 40?
10.4% of Unit 40 is public land, 251,131 of 2,416,561 acres, most of it state trust land (245,674 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). The unit page has the map, highways, towns and neighbors: Unit 40.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 40?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 deer hunt codes for Unit 40 with 165 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 40?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 45% success rate for the Unit 40 deer hunts as a whole: 293 hunters reported and 146 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 38% to 58%.
When is deer season in Unit 40 in 2026?
The Unit 40 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 24 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 7 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 40?
Yes, for 5 of the drawn codes. Statewide, at least 84% of draw licenses go to residents, 10% to applicants with a registered outfitter and 6% to nonresidents without one, and antlerless elk and WMA-only hunts are for residents (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).